While the Notre Dame–USC game won’t be played for the foreseeable future after Notre Dame came to a scheduling agreement with BYU on Monday, the controversy over the decision has split opinion among USC alumni. Although Matt Leinart has voiced support for Riley, the 2002 Heisman winner, Carson Palmer has not.

“I’m upset with my alumni. Notre Dame is a game you play every year if you’re serious about being elite,” said Palmer when asked about USC not scheduling Notre Dame in the future. “You don’t run from tradition or competition and forget about a top 5 rivalry.”

While the rivalry runs deep, USC has felt its weight for decades. Since Marcus Freeman took over at Notre Dame, the Irish have rattled off three straight wins, adding even more pressure to USC’s already brutal schedule. And this season’s 34–24 loss made that crystal clear. Now, while Notre Dame will always be a tough test, Lincoln Riley decided the pause was worth it.

That hasn’t dampened the passion. Fans and former players alike still feel the rivalry running hot. The matchup, which celebrates 100 years in 2026, has been interrupted only twice, during World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic, but USC has now opted not to renew the contract beyond 2025 to protect its path to the playoffs. Cutting such a historic rivalry, however, didn’t sit well with Palmer.

As the first USC quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy in 2002, Palmer knows what it takes to beat elite teams. He finished his USC career as the Pac-10’s all-time leader in passing yards and total offense and was inducted into the CFB Hall of Fame in 2021. After a successful 15-year NFL career, he’s now the head football coach at Santa Margarita Catholic High School. Considering that, his words carry significant weight.

It appears to Palmer that Lincoln Riley and USC’s decision not to play the Fighting Irish in the near future only highlights a weakness. Avoiding elite competition keeps the team from seeing areas where they need to improve. Over time, that could lead to a decline in standards, even as the school boasts more Heisman winners than anyone else in history.

Moreover, Palmer’s words emphasized the importance of tradition. As a head coach, Riley needs to respect tradition. The USC–Notre Dame rivalry is one of CFB’s most historic intersectional matchups, famed for the “Jeweled Shillelagh,” championship stakes, and iconic game moments. While the series began in 1926 and carries weight beyond the field, this sudden pause could dent USC’s reputation as a powerhouse.

According to the LA Times’ Ryan Kartje, USC reportedly ‘learned’ of the CFP’s new deal with ND and quickly pulled the plug on the series, as the deal gives the Irish an automatic playoff spot if it cracks the preseason Top 12. While those odds weren’t thrilling, protecting their own path to the playoffs became the priority for Lincoln Riley, even if it meant pausing a historic rivalry.

Still, USC likely tried to save the matchup by moving it to Week 0, but the Irish declined. Now, with ND reaching a scheduling agreement with BYU, USC alumnus Matt Leinart stresses that pauses in the rivalry were necessary.

Lincoln Riley gains support for his decision

Matt Leinart has stepped firmly into USC’s corner. The 2004 Heisman winner publicly backed Lincoln Riley amid the Notre Dame scheduling debate, urging trust in the program’s long-term vision.

“Call me lame, but I’m going to trust a school that’s produced more Heisman winners than anyone else in history and 11 National Championships to do what’s right for the program,” wrote Leinart.

Coming from a QB who led USC to back-to-back national titles and a 37–2 record as a starter, the message carried weight.

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“Texas and A&M played forever, and then they didn’t. Same with Utah and BYU,” he noted. “It was a bummer, but the world didn’t end. Here’s hoping this is a momentary pause just like those.”

While he understands the emotions tied to the rivalry, Leinart believes stepping away, for now, could make USC’s schedule more manageable. After all, Notre Dame is no cupcake, and sometimes, discretion is the smarter play.